“Go get Sissy and let her know the daffodils are coming in.” Piper squawked to a messenger nearby.

The messenger flew like the wind to the other side of the store where Sissy was sorting out vegetables.

Piper watched him go and then turned his eye to the Semi backing into the dock.

“Easy does it. That’s it.” he said to no one in particular. From his point of view these delivery guys handled daffodils like they were handling packages of mulch and dirt, or worse, cement. Didn’t they know any better?

The carrier came back, nodded affirmatively to Piper’s unspoken question about Sissy and the message. Piper looked his way more intently and saw a look of excitement in his eyes.

“Is this the first spring delivery you’ve seen, boy?” Piper asked.

The young one looked back, youth and inexperience obvious in his quirky grin and awed gaze. “Y-y-yes, Sir.” he stuttered while his head turned rapidly, not wanting to miss a bit of the action in any direction.

Piper smiled remembering the times when he was a fledging just like this one. He thought of how his relatives from all over had sent out notices of spring’s arrival. He chuckled when he remembered how Pepper, his sister, smashed into a display of Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life books in her excitement and rush to see all the new spring arrivals.

Piper and the young carrier sat still and quiet, watching the movement around them. The delivery people occasionally glanced their way as if to let Piper and his sidekick know that they knew they were being watched and would be careful with the first flowers of spring.

When all of pallets of daffodils had been unloaded, Piper came around to inspect them. He inhaled deeply. He smiled and looked at the group around him. “Mmm. Now that’s Spring! Tomorrow we will begin making our plans and getting everyone together.”

Throughout the night, the carriers worked tirelessly going from family to family making sure they knew what was going on.

“Piper said spring is here and that we needed to get ready to go.”

“The Daffodils hit the dock today, be ready tomorrow.”

“Be sure to get a good night’s sleep. Spring’s moved in and we’re moving out tomorrow.”

As dawn came, Piper and the others gathered near the daffodils. There was Sissy and her family. Pepper and the rest of her bunch, including Charlie the young carrier. Perdita and Perry, Piper’s brother and sister-in-law, completed the group.

Piper looked at Perdita and Perry. “So are you love birds ready to go?”

Perry looked at Perdita. It was their first time to have a home of their own. They would have to build it, of course, and put everything they needed in it. Perry smiled softly thinking of how God had blessed them and how they would be having a family soon.

Perdita gave Perry a gentle peck on the cheek in reassurance.

“Yeah, we are ready.”

“Okay, good. Now everyone gather around while we say a quick prayer.”

Piper waited as the group formed a circle. Then he closed his eyes.

“Dear God, thank you for our provision this winter. Thank you for the abundance of food, shelter and warmth. Thank you for the winter that has passed and how it was a special season of good cheer as many celebrated your Son and the life he gave. Thank you for letting us watch over those in our care. Thank you for letting us bring laughter to children and their parents. Please watch over all of us and keep us safe as we go out into your world to tell others of you. In your Son’s name, Amen.”

As the prayer ended, all that had gathered lifted their heads slowly and looked at Piper waiting for him to lead them out the doors.

While a smile, Piper and the rest moved to the edge of Home and Garden opened their wings and in one smoothly-designed movement took off in flight to a new spring adventure in the world outside of Wal-mart.

*****
Inspiration comes in every day events. This story was born from a shopping trip with my son who noticed every bird perched in the rafters of Wal-mart and they, in turn, seemed to want to swoop down and fly around just for him. I can only imagine that they enjoyed his laughter as much as I.

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"Be glad, earth and sky! Roar sea and every creature in you: be glad fields and everything in you! The trees in the woods will shout for joy." Psalm 96:11, 12

"And then I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, in the world below, and in the sea - all living beings in the universe - and they were singing: 'To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be praise and honour, glory and might, forever and ever'."
Revelation 5:13